John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And David said to Abishai , etc.] For it seems he would have nothing to say to Joab, being displeased with him for slaying Absalom, and having removed him from his posts; and therefore speaks to the next officer in his army, Abishai; though Josephus says, he addressed himself to Joab, contrary to the express words of the text: now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absalom ; gain a greater party, and give more trouble to subdue him, unless suppressed in time: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him ; without waiting for Amasa, and the troops he was assembling; delays in such a case as an insurrection being dangerous, which ought to be nipped in the bud, and crushed as soon as possible; in order to which, he bids him take his servants that were about him, his bodyguards, and pursue Sheba: lest he get him fenced cities ; where he may secure himself, and hold out a siege a long time, and give a great deal of trouble: and escape us ; for the present; or “escape our eyes”, as the “Keri”, or marginal reading is; we shall lose sight of him, and not know which way he is gone, if he is not pursued quickly.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-13 - Joab barbarously murdered Amasa. The more plot there is in a sin, the worse it is. Joab contentedly sacrificed the interest both of the kin and the kingdom to his personal revenge. But one would wonder with what face a murderer could pursue a traitor; and how, under such a load of guilt, he had courage to enter upon danger: his conscience was seared.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 דוד1732 אל413 אבישׁי52 עתה6258 ירע3415 לנו שׁבע7652 בן1121 בכרי1075 מן4480 אבשׁלום53 אתה859 קח3947 את853 עבדי5650 אדניך113 ורדף7291 אחריו310 פן6435 מצא4672 לו ערים5892 בצרות1219 והציל5337 עיננו׃5869
